


You said you'd stay, I said I'd wait

by artemris



Category: The Amazing Spider-Man (Movies - Webb)
Genre: F/M, also this isn't betaed or proof read properly bcos i'm in a rush, point 'em out if you see them, so there will probably be mistakes, trying to write in the present tense will kill me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-27
Updated: 2014-04-27
Packaged: 2018-01-21 01:06:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1531919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/artemris/pseuds/artemris
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Peter doesn't see much of a problem with one more unnamed thief roaming the streets of New York after Uncle Ben dies.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You said you'd stay, I said I'd wait

**Author's Note:**

> it's that au you never wanted where peter feels bad about aunt may working so much and becomes a thief instead of a hero
> 
> orrrrrr
> 
> that time i saw the amazing spider-man 2 and this idea wouldn't leave me alone until i gave in and wrote it at 4am

Peter doesn't see much of a problem with one more unnamed thief roaming the streets of New York after Uncle Ben dies. The police weren't able to stop them before - one more isn't going to make a difference.

He does it for Aunt May mainly. He knows what she's been doing, has overheard hushed conversations accepting double shifts and part-time jobs. He can't let her do that. He can't put her through that on his behalf. So he takes up thievery, which may not have been his finest idea, but he'd rather be labelled a petty criminal than ever have to see Aunt May's face crease in worry when she thinks she's alone like that again. Hell, he'd even orchestrate the greatest heist the world has ever seen just to keep her smiling.

He only targets big companies, only the ones who can afford to pay for the damage or who won't miss it at all. Taking things from anyone else would just seem like a contradiction of why he's doing it in the first place. At first, he tries to string up some other crooks while he's at it, but he stops not long after he starts. What's the point? The police can deal with it, as Captain Stacy frequently reminds him, and unfortunately one super-powered Robin Hood with big ideas isn't going to stop the crime problem in the city.

When he dons the costume he feels invincible. He made it when the effects of his spider bite were just beginning to manifest in strange strands of webbing dangling from his fingers and household appliances breaking seemingly accidentally. It's funny to think that when he made it, he planned on using it for good; to stop the crimes he's now using it to commit. Peter is no stranger to waylaid plans, but he still feels a twinge of guilt when he thinks about his best intentions.

The suit attracts some media attention (read: a _lot_ of media attention) which can only really be expected. There aren't that many pick-pocketing teenagers in red and blue spandex running around. The attention is bittersweet and hard to swallow. On one hand, he's finally being noticed for something. On the other, it's for stealing wallets from strangers and wearing a ridiculous costume whilst doing so. He expected some resistance if he ever went through with the whole heroing thing, but he figured it'd be sweetened by people who drew hope from him. Now everyone is in agreement; he's a menace. The Bugle have dubbed him 'Spider-Man' and Jameson offers a promising reward for news, sightings, information, but most importantly _pictures_ of Spider-Man. Handing in his pictures is both terrifying and exhilarating, but despite the decent paycheck and the excitement over the sheer boldness of the move, handing in his pictures feels an awful lot like defeat. Still, he swallows his pride (if he has any left) and hands Aunt May every cheque he receives, and despite all her fussing, he's convinced he can see a weight being lifted off her shoulders.

It's difficult having a secret identity. Being a superhero would be different, he supposes. If by chance someone found out, there might still be hope, there might still be admiration, there might even be some form of love. But with a pathetic crook like him, the most he could hope for is disgust and eventual forgiveness. He doubts most people would even grant him that.

He pointedly doesn't tell Gwen. She'd understand, he's sure, but she's _Gwen Stacy_. She's perfect. She's an honours student, Oscorp employee and her dad's a fricking police captain. Even if she could forgive him, she couldn't date someone like that. So he keeps it to himself and deals with the inner fallout on his own.

Eventually it stops mattering. It's something he forgets about when he's around other people. It's something he wishes he could forget about when Gwen comes over one day in late spring and pulls back from his embrace to peer at the all too familiar red mask over his shoulder.

"No, Peter, you _can't_ be. You CAN'T be." She sits down on the edge of his bed to steady herself, fingers idly tracing the eyeholes of the mask in her hands.

"Gwen, I can explain, I swear. I know this looks bad, but I swear I can explain."

She shakes her head at him and refuses to meet his eyes. He takes this as another blow.

"I'm sorry, Gwen. I just... Since Uncle Ben died, Aunt May's been struggling to make ends meet. She's working two jobs just so I can go to college and that's not what I want. I'd rather stay at home if this is what it takes to go, but she's - she's got her heart set on it and I don't want to disappoint her. So I do what I can." And yeah, this time he's ashamed.

Gwen sighs, meeting his eyes again. "Why didn't you tell me?" Her words catch in her throat and Peter figures it's disappointment.

He doesn't realise he's laughing until he catches the uncertainty in Gwen's eyes. "You're me. You steal handbags from old ladies to pay the rent (okay, not literally). Your girlfriend is a model student and the human example of perfection, not to mention her dad's a goddamn cop. What do you do?"

She shakes her head again, loose strands falling in her eyes and she stands up, striding across to meet him. "You don't have to worry about any of that stuff, Peter. I'm surprised, sure, but it doesn't change how I feel about you, and if this is something I gotta put up with then I'd rather be your partner in crime than in the dark."

He breathes out a sigh of relief and leans down to rest his chin on the top of her head. "You'd look good in spandex," he mumbles. She swats him in the arm like nothing's wrong and he thinks maybe it'll all turn out okay.

**Author's Note:**

> ngl i kinda wanna write one where peter and gwen are this lil supervillainy duo now


End file.
